Mike Ahrens
Passionate technical leader with the ability to effectively draw on my experience across consumer, automotive, life-science and optical networking industries to design, build and deliver world class products.
Portfolio
Intel Silicon Photonics Video
ThermoFisher Velos Pro Mass Spectrometer
Experience
Principal Mechanical Engineer
Project details are confidential. Serving as Engineering Manager and Technical Lead responsible for developing novel transducer suspension concepts that significantly improve power efficiency. Focused on very thin, lightweight laminated flexures produced using carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) composites. Filed three patent applications within this design space during FY22.
Senior Product Design Engineer
Project details are confidential. Core team leader responsible for designing broad range of products to support Apple’s autonomous driving program. Projects include sensor/compute platform architecture, high-voltage (HV) and low-voltage (LV) converters, automotive interior concepts and human-machine-interface (HMI) concepts. Engage with industrial design (ID) team to bring concepts to reality using wide array of rapid prototyping techniques. Setup pilot production lines in both Silicon Valley and Cork, Ireland for short-run builds of electro-mechanical products with first-pass yields regularly exceeding 95% on new builds. Internal technical consultant with continual cross-functional engagement (mechanical, electrical, software, production). Serve as go-to mentor for young engineers and new program managers. Frequent engagement with upper-level management to showcase new designs.
Staff Mechanical Engineer
Core team leader engaged with Intel’s industrial designers to invent novel solutions pertaining to foldable mobile devices. Prototyped display hinge concepts using super-elastic nickel-titanium (NiTi), lattice hinges and miniature brass bearings. Developed custom cycle-testing machines to prove reliability and durability of hinge concepts; NiTi hinge exceeded 5 million folding cycles without failure. Developed novel thermal cooling solutions for high-power system-on-chip (SOC); mobile phone mechanical prototypes cooled up to 7W of power without violating human touch conditions. Awarded numerous patents in this design space.
Staff Mechanical Engineer
Sole mechanical engineer responsible for designing specialized tooling and fixtures to produce silicon photonics modules. Primarily focused on lens-to-substrate placement (5-micron range), direct-current (DC) testing over temperature and live-testing/tuning of laser assemblies. Developed JEDEC-style carrier system to improve lens curing times by 30%. Developed in-process metrology strategy to speed build times by 40% while maintaining 95% first-pass yield or higher. Applied lean manufacturing and 5S principles to continually improve production yields.
Staff Mechanical Engineer
Sole mechanical engineer responsible for developing robust 'smart motor' for US military. Two opposing motors were used to control satellite-tracking antenna, housed within aircraft ray-dome. Initial prototype was CNC-machined (zero draft) with final design transition to die-casting (critical surfaces drafted) for cost reduction. Final product exceeded IP67 sealing requirements, passed salt-fog testing and 500-hour burn-in cycle-testing. This project represented a clear ‘design win’ for Moog Animatics. Company relocated to east coast and my position in San Jose was eliminated.
Senior Mechanical Engineer
Core team leader responsible for designing mass spectrometer instruments. Developed low-cost, high-voltage vacuum feed-through devices using plastic injection molding to replace legacy ceramic parts. New designs yielded 5X cost savings over legacy components without sacrificing instrument performance. Introduced flexible circuitry interconnection techniques in ‘dual ion trap’ mass analyzer assembly. End result is measurable increase in high mass accuracy with 35% decrease in production assembly time. Engaged with industrial design (ID) team to convert sketched concepts of plastic cosmetic panels into accurate 3D models. Raw material selection improved electromagnetic induction (EMI) shielding over previous generation instruments. Also designed sheet-metal enclosures to package PC boards with integrated thermal cooling solutions.
Education
Santa Clara University
Pi Tau Sigma National Honor Society Member
Coursework:
- Advanced Burn-In Methods for Electronic Components
- Design for Competitiveness
- Design for Reliability
- Failure Analysis
- Lean Product Development
- Strategic Technical Management
- Various CAD training courses in Siemens NX, SolidWorks and PTC Creo platforms
Interests
- Stanford University FrameWorks Bicycle Frame Building Class
- North American Handmade Bicycle Show: Aluminum Frame Design Considerations
- 'Understanding Aluminum' article in Mountain Flyer Magazine
- 'Cyclists Favor Handmade Frames' article in San Francisco Chronicle
- Numerous WiseCracker bottle opener product reviews, both online and print media, including Mountain Bike Action, Bicycle Retailer, Singletrack Magazine UK, MTBR and Bike Radar
US Patents
- 10,310,565: Flexible Display Structure
- 10,152,100: Retractable Heat Exchanger
- 9,980,412: Flexible Heat Spreader
- 9,971,382: Super-Elastic Hinge for Flexible Display
- 7,290,945: Electromagnetic Inductive Shield
- 7,457,126: Optical Transponder with Active Heat Transfer
- 7,290,945: Electromagnetic Inductive Shield
- 7,229,221: Optical Transponder with Passive Heat Transfer
- 6,789,958: Release Mechanism for Pluggable Fiber Optic Transceiver
- 6,533,470: Single-Piece Cage for Pluggable Fiber Optic Transceiver
- 6,494,623: Release Mechanism for Pluggable Fiber Optic Transceiver